London ULEZ checker
Non-compliant cars pay £12.50 a day, anywhere in Greater London.
The London zone at a glance
The scheme, the area and the money, verified against the official sources.
| Scheme | Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) |
| Type | TfL emissions scheme (not a national CAZ class) |
| Private cars charged? | Yes |
| Hours | 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day |
| Area | Every London borough since August 2023, right up to (but not including) the M25. |
| How to pay | Via TfL, in advance, on the day, or by midnight of the third day after driving. Auto Pay bills you automatically. |
| Penalty | £180, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days |
Who pays what in London
| Vehicle | Charge |
|---|---|
| Cars, motorcycles and vans up to 3.5t | £12.50 a day |
| Lorries and heavier vehicles | Covered by the separate London LEZ instead |
Exemptions and discounts
- Fully electric vehicles
- Historic vehicles (40+ years old, historic tax class)
- Vehicles in the disabled or disabled-passenger tax class (until at least October 2027)
- Motorcycles meeting Euro 3
The Congestion Charge is a separate scheme in central London: £18 a day since 2 January 2026, on top of any ULEZ charge, and electric cars now pay it too (with a 25% discount on Auto Pay).
The ULEZ scrappage scheme closed to new applications in September 2024.
Official source: Check your vehicle with TfL. Zone rules change when authorities vote, so check before a journey that matters.
Figures last checked against the official source on . Check the source yourself.
London zone: common questions
Is my car compliant in London?
The standards are the same as every UK zone: petrol cars need Euro 4 (broadly, first registered from 2006) and diesels need Euro 6 (broadly, from September 2015). Fully electric cars always comply. Use the checker on this page for an instant estimate.
Do cars pay to drive in London?
Non-compliant cars pay £12.50 a day, anywhere in Greater London. Compliant cars pay nothing, and there's nothing to register.
Where does the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) cover?
Every London borough since August 2023, right up to (but not including) the M25. It operates 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day.
What happens if the rules are broken?
The penalty is £180, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days. Cameras read every plate entering the zone, so an unpaid charge turns into a penalty automatically.
Other UK zones
Every city has its own rules; check before you travel.
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